


Howling at the Stars

by aleksrothis



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 14:36:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17789231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleksrothis/pseuds/aleksrothis
Summary: A full moon on the first night of the Stars' bye-week.  Perfect timing.





	Howling at the Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_milky_way](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_milky_way/gifts).



> I loved this prompt so hope this is what you wanted.

It was later than Ben had planned, only a couple of hours until moonrise, when he unlocked the front door, calling out, “Honey, I'm home.”

There was a clatter of sharp claws on hardwood flooring, and a pale brown wolf appeared at the top of the stairs.

“You're not getting out of cooking that easily,” Ben told him. “I was promised steak.”

The wolf transformed into his former teammate. Kari ran a hand through his hand, leaving it sticking up. “I’ve got steak,” he said. “Not much cooking needed.”

That was true, the rarer the better this time of the month. Unusually, they had a free evening in the middle of a homestand on the night of the full moon, and it was the first night of the Stars’ bye-week, so it was the perfect opportunity to spend some time together as packmates. And Ben was coming off a good win, to break their recent losing streak.

When Ben had come to Dallas he had been relieved to discover the Stars did have a small pack: Lehtonen, Hamhuis, Johns. But the off-season had happened and Johns was the only one left on the team, and he might as well not be, as he struggled through headaches, spending as much time as he could curled up in wolf-form.

So now it was just Ben. He’d held out hope for one of the rookies, or the numerous Cedar Park call-ups. Someone on the Texas Stars was a wolf, Ben was sure of it but he hadn't had the time to pick them out at training camp and they hadn't approached him. Enough of the call-ups arrived with that lingering scent to tease him, but whoever it was wasn’t here.

There was nothing wrong with Khudobin: Dobby was a great back-up and he got on well with everyone but it wasn’t the same. Of course, he still had Kari, his fellow netminder choosing to stay with him in Dallas rather than return to Finland. 

Kari could have been bitter that he didn’t have a team this year but instead he seemed satisfied to stay here cheering on the Stars. Or at least he didn’t often smell sad.

It was probably wrong of Ben to feel grateful for that but he did. Ben didn’t think he could have given up his net with such equanimity: he’d hated losing the starting position in Tampa to Vasi.

But that was in the past now, and in his future was an evening of running around with Kari and ending curled up together.

They ate their rare steak on the veranda as the moon rose and dusk fell. It was a chilly night by Dallas standards with a brisk breeze but perfectly clear so they could see the bright moon overhead.

As soon as they were finished eating they shifted, taking the time to thoroughly scent each other. Kari always smelt so good to Ben, in both forms and Ben nuzzled the curve of his neck, the join of his shoulder where he wanted to bite down and lay his claim for all to see.

They had agreed to wait until Kari retired, assuming he would be signed elsewhere and not wanting to be separated after bonding. Though it hadn’t worked out that way, Kari hadn't mentioned it again and Ben didn’t want to broach the sensitive subject.

Kari rubbed his own muzzle over Ben’s throat and growled lightly. Ben let himself be pushed over onto his back, showing Kari his trust. He waited but Kari only licked a stripe up his muzzle then pulled back.

Knowing him too well, Ben held still until Kari pounced, then pushed up to knock him off balance too. They rolled around on the grass together until Kari suddenly jumped back leaving Ben to roll over once more and slip sideways into the pool he hadn't noticed was that close.

Ben pulled himself out, pacing over to Kari to shake off the water but the smaller wolf scrambled backwards out of reach. It turned into a chase: Kari had more energy and knew his territory but Ben had the advantage of size and conditioning.

When Ben finally caught up with and dropped down heavily on top of him, Kari whined in complaint but his scent was satisfied. Ben tipped his head back and howled in triumph.

They didn’t stay still for long though, the call of the moon too strong. There would be no hunting for them there, wild animals had long since learnt to stay away, just the sheer joy of being in this form, free to run. And run they did, sometimes together, chasing shadows and fallen leaves, then switching to tag, nipping gently at each other’s flanks.

Although he could spend forever rolling around in Kari’s scent, Ben missed having other packmates around. Though most of the Stars weren’t wolves, they were still his pack but they weren’t really Kari’s anymore. He hated thinking about how lonely Kari must get, especially last full moon with the team away, though he knew the Finn would never admit to it.

As though he could tell Ben was distracted, Kari danced away, jumping up onto the top of the practice net still standing in his yard. Ben shouldn’t have been surprised it held, since he’d seen the clips of Kari doing the same in human-shape, and in full gear at that, but it was odd to see the wolf lying there.

Ben tried to nip at Kari’s paws hanging over the edge but Kari snapped at him. Instead Ben set himself at the base of the net, whining for Kari to join him until he eventually jumped down and they set to grooming each other’s fur.

It was easier like that, offering comfort without words. Everything Ben said in human-words always came out wrong, the double language barrier getting in the way. There and then he could just be there for the packmate he loved and hope it was enough.

In the morning, Ben woke in human form on the back deck, still curled around Kari. The echoes of the sunrise were in the sky and the moon couldn’t have been set long. It was probably the cold which had woken him so he went inside for a blanket to drape over Kari while he made coffee.

Kari smiled up at him when he came back with two steaming cups and let him share the blanket as they watched the last of the colors fade into the blue sky.

They still had the rest of the bye-week to look forward to and, with most of the team away, either traveling or back in Cedar Park, they would be able to spend it together without distraction.

Ben was looking forward to it.


End file.
